This alluring photograph shows no hint of the incredible complexity involved in renovating this signature country home. As is true of most resolved architecture, the mere beauty of this space looks obvious and simple to achieve. However, the finest work is often that which is best edited.
A well-known interior designer out of Boston directed this renovation. Although it represented nearly a total gut of the home, the majority of the communication took place via a fax machine. The interior designer visited the site only 3 times over the 14 months of renovation. This photograph pans through the entrance gallery and into the dining room. As the weightiness of this 1920s structure suggests, the substrates were industrial. The floor, which we shaled in order to install 2" limestone veneer, was solid concrete on steel bar joists. The walls were cement block with skip trowel plaster, and the ceiling's structure was petrified from years of age.
We engaged the help of the most accomplished trades, held weekly jobsite meetings, and scratched our heads on a daily basis trying to figure out how to overcome the next dilemma. This home's resplendent finish makes it hard to grasp the difficulty of accommodating today's comforts such as HVAC, plumbing, and electric in a home never designed to accept them. However, our ingenious team resolved every predicament. The end product is seamless and breathtaking.
